Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) has announced its upcoming Fall/Spring season, emphasizing groundbreaking connections between artists and audiences, tradition and innovation, and local and global perspectives. The institution, under the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Lincoln Center West Initiative, offers programming for free or on a Choose-What-You-Pay basis. This approach, championed by Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer Shanta Thake, has attracted over 600,000 new audience members who are more reflective of New York City's demographics since her tenure began. Mariko Silver, President and CEO of LCPA, highlighted the institution's commitment to accessible and exceptional programming, praising Thake's vibrant vision. Tickets for fall presentations went on sale on Wednesday, September 9.
Separately, Lincoln Center Theater (LCT) has revealed its 2026-2027 season, the second under Kewsong Lee Artistic Director Lear deBessonet. The Vivian Beaumont Theater will host the first-ever Broadway revival of Aaron Sorkin’s “A Few Good Men,” starring Bradley Whitford and Tom Blyth, with direction by Michael Arden. Performances for “A Few Good Men” are set to begin on October 8, 2026, with opening night on October 29, 2026. This follows a successful 2025-2026 season for LCT, which saw the critically acclaimed “Ragtime” play to sold-out houses and receive four 2026 Tony Awards.
The LCT season at the Mitzi E. Newhouse will commence with “The Whoopi Monologues,” directed by Whitney White and starring Dominique Fishback, Kecia Lewis, Danielle Pinnock, Kerry Washington, and Kara Young. This will be followed by August Wilson’s “Seven Guitars,” directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and the New York premiere of Mark Jenkins' “Playing Burton,” starring Matthew Rhys. The season at the Newhouse will conclude with the world premiere of Kimberly Belflower’s “Born in the Dirt.” The Claire Tow Theater will feature “creation stories and all the important importants” by Mfoniso Udofia, with performances beginning September 15, 2026, and an October 1, 2026, opening night.
The Lincoln Center campus, including both LCPA and LCT venues, is poised for a busy fall. The New York Philharmonic's new Music and Artistic Director, Gustavo Dudamel, will also be opening his first season. The concurrent schedules of these major institutions, especially with productions like “A Few Good Men” and “creation stories and all the important importants” at LCT, are expected to draw significant foot traffic and cultural engagement to the Upper West Side, influencing local businesses and fostering a vibrant arts environment.
